Eye makeup using NFL team colors.

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Throwback – Detroit Lions

The Lions joke “Rebuilding since 1957” is played out but sadly is true. Ever since the modern NFL established in 1967 the Lions have not seen a Superbowl victory. The last victory was before the merger in 1957. But the background, plays, stats, and eventual final score would be considered crazy video game (“Madden”) numbers today. Detroit’s backup QB (Tobin Rote) had to fill in for the injured starting QB. Four touchdowns, the opponent Cleveland Browns’ starting and backup QBs get injured, and this was Detroit head coach George Wilson’s rookie year. The final score was 59-14 against the Browns.

Modern Nike uniforms have the Lions in a blue distinctive enough to be named Honolulu Blue. In 1957, the original Lions’ blue was a darker, cool-toned version of what many fans recognize today. It may be the fabric dyes during this period were not as bright or the jersey fabric could not hold the distinct color. What is certain is the blue was different from their division rivals, such as the Baltimore Colts, and other teams that used a shade of blue (usually navy or primary blue) as a main uniform color. Another distinct color shift was the use of silver. This difference is clear on the helmets. Modern Nike Uniforms have a shiny, platinum helmet that pops against Honolulu Blue. 1957 Lions uniforms have a matte silver helmet that resembles brushed steel.

I went for simplicity in this look. Winged eyeliner and a wash (muted color, sheer and slightly see through) of color on the eyelids was a signature makeup preference of the 1950s. Eye looks were played down to emphasize the shape or color of the lips. Think of a pin-up girl, Marilyn Monroe, or Joan in season 1 of Mad Men. The difficult part was getting the color of the eyeliner. Makeup colors works just like paint. You can always layer a lighter color on top of a bright or dark color to make it less harsh.